Blessed of Vesta
by Eclipse607
Summary: The legacy of a long forgotten god is coming into his inheritance. With his patrons, friend, and trusty sword will he survive long enough to fulfill his destiny?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Ok, I am rather new at this writing thing so if there are errors, please inform me. Flames are alright just if it is a comment please no cursing. I hope people like this story as I have been planning this for a long time. Oh, and the name at the top is the pov for the chapter. The first chapter is from the perspective of my OC.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything of Rick's, if I did then blessings from Gods would be more common.

~~Xander Vestian~~

Xander felt his right arm crack as he was pressed up against the wall. It was his second time facing the local gangs, he never wanted it to happen again. The first time he had got away with a sprained wrist and a fractured hand, with bruises of course. This was a second offense, so it was going to be horrible, for him at least. He drew his attention back to the tormentors, who were spitting on him, and calling him names. He labeled them inside his head. One was decidedly messy, with sweat stains and unidentified objects littering his clothing, he had a swarthy complexion, which only added to the ensemble. Stinky, he decided, was a fitting name for this one. The goon on the left was pug-nosed with a large scar misshaping his ear, this one would be Pug. The leader, still punching him, was laughing as his tanned features sneered at the small nine year old. This idiot would be Buff, Xander firmly stated inside his head.

"Ha! You are nothing, _worm_." The leader shrieked. This was a common insult used against him, he thought. It wasn't his fault he was scrawny, he was a street rat, how could any other adjective be used to describe _him_?

"I don't think he be getting the message boss - " Started Stinky, but before he could finish Xander used the momentary distraction to knock Buff's hand from around his neck. He ducked under the reaching limbs and started running frantically away to a park, where he could hide. He could hear them shouting at him, the sounds were fading away though. He kept up the breakneck pace until five minutes had passed with no sign of the gang members. Xander mustered a weak smile as he took the chain from his pocket, he had snagged it in the confusion. The golden metal would bring him meals until school started in a few weeks.

He suddenly stopped his movements as he heard a rustle in the trash cans nearby. It was time to get to his safe house. He needed to find a safe spot before all the animals came out in the night. He started jogging back, the chain making slight clinking noises with the movements of his body. The familiar landmarks pointed him to where he wanted to go. His safe-house was perfect for him, small and hidden, rainproof and warm. It was invisible to the passerby of the streets, nobody could find him unless they knew what they were looking for. He climbed into the shelter, it was hidden in the rooftops. Xander had luckily gotten over his fear of heights long ago, otherwise it would have made this location incredibly nerve wracking. He curled up in the nest and started drifting off. The slight rocking of the structure lulling him into slumber.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Thank you for the review! This is my first attempt at posting my writing so it was very encouraging. The updates will come as fast as I can make them, but with school it will be difficult. Onto the story!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything of Rick's, if I did then maybe Percy would end up with Reyna.

~~Xander Vestian~~

Xander woke with a start, the chain still wrapped around his hand. The fight from yesterday was starting to show marks. His lip was split open and his ribs were aching. His arm was starting to swell and shoot spears through his body when he moved it. Perhaps he could take a day off? He immediately quashed that notion, he had to sell the chain so he could buy first aid supplies for his cuts and scrapes. The open wounds could become infected, and if his arm healed wrong he would have to re-break it to fix it completely.

"Xander?" A feminine voice called softly. Xander flinched he quickly moved to gain a better view of the street. He saw a lightly tanned, angular face, with silky black hair framing her jaw, and black onyx eyes. Even with her ten years of age, she still seemed to radiate an aura of authority. The girl was wearing casual clothes that cost more money than he had ever owned in his short life. The young girl stared up at him.

Xander relaxed and said, "Hi Reyna, what brings you here?"

Reyna smirked back and replied, "Just wanted to see my best friend." Xander gave her a matching smirk in response and jumped down from his shelter with surprising agility. He dusted off his pants carefully using only his left arm. He was hoping Reyna would not notice his injuries with the still dark sky. He had no luck, she immediately fixed her gaze on his right arm, noting the lack of use.

She stated in a stern tone, "Xander! What is wrong with your arm?" Xander sighed, furtively glancing around him for spectators.

When he found none, he sighed again and replied, "It's a long story, how about we go to your home?"

She looked at him strangely but replied, "Alright,"

Xander struggled to explain, "It's just that I would like for us to not be interrupted or overheard-"

Reyna interrupted him, "I already said yes, Xander. We can talk in my room." Xander squirmed uncomfortably. He did not want to intrude on her breakfast. Xander fingered the chain in his pocket, he wondered what Reyna had come to his shelter for. Thoughts consumed him on the walk to her house, he was very nervous. Reyna's sister, Hylla, never did like him much.

Reyna held out her arm to stop him from passing her house. She frowned at his subsequent wince, she inadvertently pressed into one of his bruises. Xander gave her an apologetic look as she gave a sigh.

Reyna stated, "Just in case you never noticed, we arrived."

Xander laughed softly and replied, "With the looming portents of my doom, in the form of the gates of your house, how could I ever not notice?" Reyna rubbed her forehead tiredly and unlocked the gate, not dignifying his sarcastic statement with a response. Ever since he started spending his time at the library he used long winded statements to annoy her. She stopped outside the door and carefully poked in the access code to unlock the complicated security system her father installed.

Reyna stopped before the threshold of the building and spoke in a low voice, "Please behave, you know how Hylla gets." Xander nodded quickly and vigorously. Reyna cracked a smile at his antics. She wordlessly led the way to her room, bypassing all the traps and various snares that littered the walkways. Xander lithely jumped and hopped over all the obstacles. Reyna stopped at a plain door and opened it slowly. Xander followed her inside and looked around curiously.

The room always changed every time he came inside. Now it had a tall mirror by the dresser. Her bed was pushed to one corner, leaving an open space in the middle. Her room was always sparsely decorated, but this could only be considered spartan.

"Hey Reyna? Why did you take out all the pictures and the like?" Xander asked curiously.

She flushed slightly before replying, "Dad wanted to get more security, this place is already on par with a fort! What more does he want? He sold them for more funds!"

Xander winced slightly at her outburst, before saying softly, "I assume the room is soundproof then as well?"

Reyna flushed again and said more softly, "Yes, but I still am sorry for my loud words."

Xander smiled back and replied, "I am sorry for bringing up a sensitive subject. Now, do you have any gauze? Or bandages, perhaps?" Reyna gave him a glance and seemed to notice his battered state for the first time.

"Oh Gods, what happened to you?" Reyna exclaimed.

Xander winced and replied, "Please, gauze and bandages?" Reyna nodded and rummaged around in her dresser. She pulled out Ibuprofen, bandages, wrappings, and disinfectant alcohol. She set everything out on her bed and told him to sit down. She immediately started wiping off the blood and dressing the cuts. Xander kept from flinching as best he could, but when she gently touched his ribs he yelped and jumped back.

Reyna flinched and said, "Xander! I'm so sorry. Can I finish the cuts? Then I can get an ice pack."

Xander winced again and replied, "I will be fine, the real problem is my arm," With these words he gingerly pulled the swollen appendage from his sleeve. Reyna gasped when she saw the obvious bend in the otherwise straight forearm.

Reyna muttered, "You better have a good explanation for this." She was still pale when Xander braced it against her bed stand and tugged it back into place. He gasped and wiped away the reflexive tears from his action. Reyna gulped and got the wrapping in place around his arm.

Reyna shakily said, "So, what happened?"

Xander let out a sigh and replied to her query, "I was goading some thugs-"

"What? Xander! Wh-" Reyna interrupted.

"Reyna, I'm sorry. But I had a good reason!" Xander quickly said. Reyna's expression flickered between anger, fear, and another he could not place.

Xander hastily continued, "Anyway, I got into a fight. They were pummeling me until one got distracted. Then, I got away! Snagging this!" Pulling out the gold chain with triumph. Reyna's gaze fixed upon the chain then switched back to him with unnerving intensity.

"You," she started, "Goaded a group of thugs into beating you half to death, just for a little chain?" Something in her voice warned Xander against protesting the value of said 'little chain', but just as he was about to speak, she continued.

"Why would you steal this. Yes, I know it was for money, but you could've gotten that from me. Have you forgotten how much money Dad spends everyday? A couple hundred dollars would not have gone amiss." Her voice had lost most of it's anger by the end and he was left with the same unidentified emotion from before.

He frowned and rejoined, "I wanted to not have to rely on you for money. I have other needs besides food, I have family to support."

Reyna sighed and said, "Isn't that the duty of your four older brothers? To support you and your younger brother?"

Xander puffed out his chest and replied, "Dad said I have to prove myself, to Vesta or whatever that means. But he said I could do this by living away from my family and sending a quota every month."

Reyna's eyes widened and her mouth gaped like a fish. She seemed speechless for long seconds until she recovered enough to ask,

"What did you say, Vesta?"

Xander frowned and thought, her reaction was strange for a random name. The only connection he had was the reverence that emanated from both his father and her when she said the name.

So he asked, "Yes, I am certain. It was Vesta." Reyna seemed to waver between different responses, but before she could answer, her sister opened the door and seemed to do a double take at the proximity of Reyna and Xander.

She shouted, "What are you doing here? _Worm_!"

Reyna seemed to snarl at Hylla and looked at Xander's retreating back. She cried out, "Wait, Xander!"

Xander spared her an apologetic look as he jumped out the window and started running back to the shelter.

Linebreak

Xander counted the money he had gotten from pawning off the chain. There was close to a thousand in twenty dollar denominations. He munched on the small hotcake he had purchased and laid down to rest. He had to heal soon, otherwise school would be a very painful affair. Making sure everything was stowed and nothing would jostle his arm, he dropped off like a stone.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** 60 views! HAHA! Thanks so much for the favorites (2), it really means a lot to me. The pov for the start of this chapter is going to be Reyna's. I want Reyna to have a crush on him that goes on forever but is not really realized until later. Things will start to move faster when school starts! Oh, if you caught the hesitation she had when Xander mentions Vesta, good for you, although it was kinda obvious. Xander is still delightfully clueless! So much fun!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything except Xander...

~~Reyna Ramírez-Arellano~~

She could not help but stare at her friend's retreating back. Hylla was fuming and cursing under her breath.

Reyna turned to her sister and growled, "What gives you the right to barge in my room and drive off my guest! I know you dislike him but this is too far!"

Hylla replied in a superior tone, "You cannot associate with him. It is too dangerous for all people involved. He is no demigod, and the monsters drawn to you will only harm him. He is a distraction, what will happen if you get in a fight and he dies? I know he is your friend but-"

Reyna cut in, "He is a demigod! I just heard him reference Vesta! He does not know of the gods, but he is connected to them." Hylla looked momentarily startled, but quickly regained her composure.

Hylla asked, "Rey, are you certain? How do you know he is not simply a mortal that randomly said a name that stuck in his head." Reyna stuck her tongue out at Hylla and stated with certainty,

"I am sure. I just heard him say his father wanted him to prove himself. To Vesta! This has to mean he is a demigod." Hylla sighed and nodded. She left the room quickly leaving Reyna alone. Reyna started to pack away the supplies. She notices a streak of blood where Xander fixed his arm. Reyna paled remembering the sharp _crack_ that pierced the air when he slammed it back into place.

Reyna gazed out at the sun hanging overhead. Her stomach grumbled and she was suddenly struck by how hungry she was. She jumped over to the mini-fridge in her dresser and got some snack bars. Reyna suddenly remembered Xander, with his drawn, white face. Reyna looked at the bars in her hand and lost her appetite. Xander did not mention getting any meals between the time of the fight and the present. She suddenly felt guilty, she should've given him money, or some of her supplies. Reyna sighed again and picked up her short-sword. She was going to practice, if only so she could protect Xander. She was ten, and he nine, so the monster attacks were not frequent yet. Her sister Hylla, was twelve, so the monster attacks were much worse for her. Filled with a sudden buoyancy she grinned and muttered,

"We can be friends now." She started slashing at the air.

~~Xander Vestian~~

Xander woke up slowly, his sleep was undisturbed, for the most part. He woke up once during his nap, gasping for air, he remembered only running, that and absolute dread. He could not remember the details. Xander suddenly was hit by a sensation of vertigo, his bruises and arm were healed! Xander carefully unwrapped the bindings on one of his smaller cuts, there was no sign an injury had ever been there. Xander's eyes widened, his heart pounding. This was impossible, these injuries usually take days to heal. Xander knew that from experience.

Xander got a hold of himself. He would not question such a stroke of luck. Xander, struck by some instinct, said,

"Thank you." A sudden rush of warmth filled Xander and reminded him of the one time he and Reyna sat in front of a hearth. It felt like the times back home when he and his younger brother Adrian would share the meager leftovers for an extra supper. Xander sighed, content. He leaned back against the ragged blanket and slowly let out a breath. He decided to go to the library for the afternoon. The nap had taken up most of the morning.

Linebreak

Xander carefully walked up to one of the computers and sat down in the seat. He was still stuck on the significance of Vesta. What had made Reyna react as she did? He typed in the name with an uppercase 'V'. Right as his hand touched the keyboard, he was filled with a sense of foreboding. He glanced around quickly. There was a sharp golden dagger in the corner of the room. Xander frowned and wondered how nobody else noticed it. He casually walked up and palmed it. The length was twice as long as his hand. The pommel was rounded and looked like it could be used to punch someone.

Suddenly, a large dog like creature burst out of the entrance. The monster had long canines with slobber dripping in a stream. The creature had no ears and its eyes seemed to glow. It walked on four legs and when it reared up, it seemed to double in size. Xander froze for a second before trying to find an exit so he could escape. The monster seemed to realize what he was thinking, because it started to growl and back him up into a corner. Xander realized nothing would save him now, all he had was a dagger. Up against this eight foot tall monster.

Something clicked, he rearranged his grip on the dagger, now slippery with sweat, and charged the monster. Allowing his footsteps to make no noise, he gently pulled his arm back and struck forward with all the strength in his small body. The dagger only bounced off it's claw, which the monster had raised to block the strike. Xander paled, and quickly backpedaled. The monster seemed to be enjoying itself now. It charged forward. Xander, in an act of sheer desperation, threw the dagger right into the left eye. The monster halted, and slowly crumbled into golden dust. The dagger was left on the ground.

Xander picked up the dagger and stuffed it into his belt. He followed the path of destruction to the computer, sitting innocently on the wooden table. Careful not to touch it, Xander read the entries. They all revolved around a maiden goddess. Vesta, the goddess of home and hearth. Xander's face showed his shock as he struggled to comprehend the facts. 1 – both Reyna and Dad seemed to recognize this name, 2 – A monster just attacked me, 3 – A weird golden dagger killed it.

Xander froze, he needed to have a talk with Reyna


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Hiya, sorry for the wait but school puts a time limit on my writing. 115 views! That means a lot to me as an aspiring writer. Updates will be less sporadic due to the apocalypse. Everybody stay safe and thank you for reading!

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Rick's work I would be posting this from Hawaii. I'm not.

~~Xander Vestian~~

Xander was back at his shelter. He was nursing the gashes on his arm, recently acquired from a snake lady with a grudge. Time was running short until school started, then he would not be able to carry his dagger around school. Maybe Reyna had a few ideas? She seemed to be a part of the world. Then what about his father? His brothers? Did his dad kick him out into this monster infested world to kill him?

If anyone looked at Xander right now they would see an expression of pure panic. This idea was very troubling. Xander would not put it past his father to watch one of his sons die with enjoyment. Reyna wouldn't though. She had answers.

Xander's head throbbed, all the thoughts in his head were rushing around like a tornado. The small nine year old took a gasping breath and tried to calm down. He froze, curled up into a ball, rocking back and forth. The steady motion helped him to center himself and slow his racing heart. When he finally calmed himself he started to make a plan. He would go to Reyna and ask her what exactly was going on. Why could no one else see the monsters? Who was this Vesta. Was this person connected to the creatures? He had too many questions. Xander carefully crawled out of the hideout and started jogging to Reyna's house.

Linebreak

Xander hesitated at the gate. He had no idea where to go from his current position. Reyna's house had one of the most insane security systems he had ever seen. From all his breaking and entering experience, he knew from just the entrance he had no chance. So he waited.

A sudden clatter woke him from his nap, he raised his head and saw Hylla sneering at him.

"Get up." Xander obeyed the command and followed Hylla inside. He cautiously peered around at all the hidden traps. Hylla ran through the obstacles with ease. When she finished she looked back and saw Xander mimicking her motions with surprising alacrity. He grinned at her shock. Hylla huffed and continued without a word. She stopped at Reyna's door and knocked. Reyna opened the door to find Xander and Hylla standing side by side.

Hylla's face was showing her irritation. Xander's face, in contrast, was smug. Reyna smiled slightly and called, "Come in Xander."

Xander smirked at Hylla and followed her into the room, leaving Hylla out in the hallway. The door closed without a sound. Reyna turned and asked, "Why are you here?"

Xander's face lost all humor and he replied in a solemn voice, "To get some answers. I suddenly can see monsters, and I know this Vesta person is involved somehow. Can you tell me what you know?"

Reyna paused and hesitated for a moment. She replied, "Are you certain you want to know?"

Xander huffed and replied, "Yes, it would explain all the monsters appearing out of nowhere." He lifted up his arm, showing her the deep gashes that were still leaking blood. Reyna seemed to sadden at his words, but when she saw the cuts she sighed and immediately went over to her first aid kit. She pulled it out from behind her mahogany dressing table and said, "Why are you always getting hurt?"

Xander tilted his head slightly and questioningly replied, "It's a bad habit, you still didn't answer my question though." Reyna quirked her eyebrow and motioned for him to pull out his arm. She started talking while cleaning his cuts, "What do you know about Roman mythology?"

Xander sighed a little and slowly said, "All the stories. My dad used to read them to us every night. Why?"

Reyna pursed her lips and replied, "The stories are all true. The monsters you fought, they were real monsters. The people around you, the mortals, -"

Xander interrupted, "Wait mortals? You say that like I'm not!"

Reyna started to roll her eyes at him but instead started explaining,"You are mortal. Just, what do you remember from your time with your father? Did he put any emphasis on any god or goddess?"

Xander frowned but replied, "He kept on going on about how I was descended from a long race of, something, I dunno. Legacy?"

Reyna frowned slightly and said, "He said you were a legacy."

Xander replied, tilting his head, "I think so? Something like fifth generation." Reyna deflated. She murmured something to herself.

She looked back at Xander and continued, "Ok, we have gotten off track. You are the descendant from a half-blood. A half-blood is the son or daughter of a human/mortal with a god. You, as a fifth generation legacy have a small amount of ichor, godly blood, in your veins. I, as a demigod, have half of my blood as ichor."

Xander grinned suddenly and said, "So I'm descended from a god? That's amazing! Which god are you descended from?"

Reyna smiled slightly at him before saying in a sarcastic tone, "My godly parent is the goddess Bellona." Xander hissed as she put pressure on one of the larger cuts.

He pouted and replied, "Well how was I supposed to know?"

Reyna looked at him bemusedly and said in a droll tone, "Maybe because I grew up with my father?"

Xander huffed and replied while rolling his eyes, "Okay fine, I admit assuming your godly parent is male was stupid. You happy?" Reyna smirked at him slightly and nodded. She started wrapping white bandages around the cleaned gashes. The pressure made Xander squirm. When he made the roll off target Reyna glared and snapped, "Gods Xander! Stay still."

Xander stilled immediately and cocked his head slightly to the right. He stated, "Gods. That will take some getting used to. What is your mother goddess of?"

Reyna frowned slightly and asked, "How familiar are you with Roman Gods and Goddesses, like the names?"

Xander shrugged and replied, "Isn't it the planet names like Jupiter or something?" A sudden roll of thunder startled them both.

Reyna swatted his good arm and admonished him, "Xander! Names have power. Only refer to Gods and Monsters by their description or title." Xander, still shaken up, nods shakily. Reyna sits back from where she was leaning over Xander's arm with a slight flush.

She mutters, "Your arm is done." Xander tilts his head up again and raises his eyebrow.

Reyna flushes darker red and continues, "Well, the Roman Gods are all real. Both major and minor. The twelve major gods are Jupiter, Neptune, Pluto, Juno, Mercury, Mars, Venus, Diana, Vulcan, Ceres, Apollo, and Bacchus. Do you know all of them?"

Xander smirks slightly and replies, "Yes. My father made me learn the Gods for Roman, Egyptian, Greek, and Norse mythology. I know most of the minor Gods and Goddesses as well."

Reyna sighs and smiles back, "That will make this a lot easier -"

Xander interrupts again, "Okay, enough joking around. Gods are not real. The monsters have a perfectly reasonable explanation." Reyna clenches her jaw and starts to say something, then stops herself and looks at Xander with something akin to pity.

She says slowly, "Xander, you believed me not just five minutes ago. The mist is affecting you."

Xander screws up his face in thought and replies, "What is the 'mist'?"

Reyna sighs before explaining, "The mist is something that covers the mortal world like a veil, hiding monsters from mortals. Demigods usually have a certain amount of immunity to it, but because you are a fifth generation legacy you are affected more than most."

Xander visibly deflates and says softly, "So I'm like a powered down version of you?"

Reyna frowns and sits up straight, "Do not take for granted your godly ancestry. Just the fact that you are already attracting monsters indicates you have a powerful god as your ancestor. I don't attract monsters yet and I'm one year older than you." Xander still looks upset but puts on a mask of acceptance. He asks Reyna about her mother and Reyna reluctantly changes the subject.

"My mother is Bellona, the Goddess of War. My powers from her have not truly developed yet but I have an instinctual knowledge of how to handle weapons. Most demigods do not manifest their powers until they are about twelve, my sister Hylla has the same power with weapons but she also has the ability to share her strength with others. When I'm twelve I will probably have the same ability."

Xander grins at Reyna and says, "There is no doubt. Maybe you will have another ability on top of that, like Telumkinesis. Ability to manipulate weapons. That would be a cool ability to have!" Reyna smiles back and lays down on her bed. The sun starts to set and they notice how long they have been talking. Xander quickly gets up and starts to climb out the window.

Reyna notices and quickly asks him to wait. Xander waits with a confused look on his face. Reyna grabs a small satchel and packs snack bars inside. She also adds in a fair amount of money. She hands it to him carefully. Xander looks inside and is overcome by gratefulness. He had already been planning to go without dinner for the day. He grins and dashes forward and captures Reyna in a hug.

Reyna is clearly shocked and asks, "Where did this come from?"

Xander only squeezes her tighter and murmurs, "Thank you, thank you, thank you." Reyna suddenly blushes and thinks, _I am so glad he cannot see my face_. She quickly pushes the blush back and hugs him back. Eventually footsteps sound down the hall and Xander quickly jumps back, he gently tugs the satchel from Reyna's loose hand and disappears out the window. Reyna quickly spins around and is ready when Hylla knocks on the door. Hylla opens the door and looks around the room suspiciously.

When she doesn't see Xander she nods approvingly and says, "He already left. Where did he leave from? I changed the traps out in the hallway so if he left out there he would be surprised."

When Reyna heard Hylla's words she scowled and replied, "He is far more capable than you give him credit."

Hylla snorts before replying, "That's what I'm scared of."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Hiya peoples, hope you liked the ending of last chapter. The formatting for last chapter was all weird, sorry bout that, but the rest are hopefully better. You will see what Hylla means when her pov comes up. I have no idea when that will happen as this story writes itself, but it will be soon! Everyone stay safe and enjoy reading!

**Disclaimer:** "Mc'Donald's order for a Rick Riordan?" "That's me!" "Wow, I didn't know Rick Riordan was a Middle School girl with acne!" "..."

~~Xander Vestian~~

Life was good. With the snack bars taking care of meals until school started, Xander didn't have to scavenge the streets for survival. With nothing better to do with his time, he pulled out the dagger still inside his belt. Twirling it around in his palm he noticed things about it he hadn't before. The blade was curved slightly with decorative carvings on both the grip and the blade. The blade had a groove in the middle running from the hilt to about half an inch away from the tip. The entire dagger was sixteen inches, with a grip of four inches, fitting into my hand. The handle was curved like the blade, except to a lesser extent. The grip was thick leather with grooves to help hold it.

Looking at it more closely he noticed an engraving on the grip, it was something in Latin. If he focused on it it started to make sense in his mind, but it was just out of reach. He tried to make sense of the inscription, but after five minutes a headache formed, after ten his nose started feeling strange, after twenty his body started to feel numb. Despite all this he kept on focusing, he knew he could do this. If he was the descendant of a god, it only made sense he would be able to read it, but he couldn't! When he was about to give up a thought occurred to him, Reyna could probably read it. If she outperformed him in such a simple task, her words of encouragement would be proven wrong. He was already a fifth generation legacy, the ichor in his veins was diluted. If he could not do this basic skill, read in the god's language, he did not deserve his legacy. Just like his father always said.

He concentrated, focused on the inscription. He made out the first syllable, "ver". Ten more minutes passed, with Xander's face going pink with exertion, the next syllable cleared, "it". He gasped and a sharp pain rang throughout his body, he kept his focus. The tenuous connection with the inscription cleared and the last syllable cleared, "as". The full word was Veritas, truth. He inhaled quickly, his sight cleared of the black spots that had appeared. He kept on breathing, slowly the world around him became steady. With one last forceful exhale he suddenly was aware of a trickle down his nose. He reached up to wipe it away as an afterthought and was greeted by a dark red streak on his hand. He looked at his ratty watch, one hour had passed since he started looking at the inscription. All that effort for just one word. Xander didn't mind, he had proven to himself he was worthy of his heritage.

Once the thought crystallized in his head, a warmth seemed to flow throughout his veins. The same warmth that healed him earlier. Good memories flashed before his eyes, Christmas with Reyna, chess with Adrian, his father reading him stories. All of the memories seemed to run together to create a warm heat in his chest. The heat danced to all his injuries, some incorrectly healed bones, some cuts that never faded, his still running nose. The heat rose to an almost unbearable level, the air around him swimming with heat mirages. His tattered shirt smoldered where the heat was localized in his chest. It culminated in a flash.

All his injuries were healed. As Xander blinked away the afterimages of the light, he started to notice the changes. The scars that littered his body were all faded, some were disappearing before his eyes. He also noticed his ruined shirt, as he pulled it off he was struck by a new tattoo on his chest over his heart. It was a hearth, with stylized flames roaring above. Another tattoo was above the first, this one was a pair of scales. Both seemed to shine bronze against his tanned skin. Were these gifts from the Gods? They have to be, it is the only explanation that makes sense. With that the fog that previously occupied his mind completely cleared. He was overcome by an influx of information. His eyes rolled back in his head as everything went black.

Linebreak (Flashback, of a fashion, 1st person pov)

~~Xander Vestian~~

Suddenly color overwhelmed my consciousness. I was in my seven year old body. I remembered this day, or now I did, as it seemed to be one of my blocked memories. This was the day my father kicked me out of the house. I tune back into my surroundings, trying to turn my head and failing. It seems I am a passenger in my body, is this the way I am to regain my memories?

No, it can't be. I already remember what happens, or at least some of it, most of it is blurry. I sigh, internally of course, and relax to enjoy the ride. The sensation of walking without moving my legs to walk is decidedly disturbing, even more so is the lack of control I have over my own body. When this is over I will never take for granted having my own body. Wait, what if this never ends and I have to be a spectator in my own body forever! No, that's impossible, that would create an infinite loop and I would be bounced back over and over again. Wait!

My attention gets pulled away from my thoughts, thankfully, when Adrian comes running up to announce breakfast is ready. The sight of him brings back good and bad memories. We were inseparable until this moment, this is the day I was thrown out into the streets, the day I met Reyna, the last day I saw Adrian. Adrian, with his tanned skin, hazel eyes, thin arching eyebrows, and messy ink black hair. He looks just like me. My doppelganger grins at Adrian, wow is that a weird feeling, and follows with a chirpy agreement. I lead the way downstairs and greet my brothers at the table. They have already started eating, but this is a special feast day, it is the Fortuna feast day. We all have enough to eat on this day. This day something special happened, dad sacrificed a goat on an altar to, Mercury I think it was. I go through the motions of the day, mostly thinking about the implications of that event.

What was he praying for? I remember him chanting in Latin, maybe with my newfound ability I will be able to understand it. Somehow I know if I need to I can understand Latin without the struggle I had the first time. Time passes quickly, I try to soak in the day. My time with Adrian is the only thing I miss daily on the streets. Reyna fills the hole, but it isn't complete. I memorize his features with desperation, knowing I will not have another chance such as this. Soon the sun is disappearing in the edge of the sky. The time of the ceremony is approaching.

I can feel the air pulse with tension I never noticed the first time. My oldest brothers Lexivus and Antwon were glancing at each other as if in disagreement. My father looked strained, the lines on his face prominent. Adrian looks blissfully ignorant, he is grinning at looking at the food set out on the table. Suddenly our father stands and raises his goblet.

He says, "To the Gods." Everyone seated at the table says the same and stands. We all walk to the fire roaring in the backyard. Father goes first, scraping the best food off his plate into the fire. Antwon goes next, with another generous offering. Lexivus, as second oldest, goes next and gives only a little. Saylor goes next with another small offering. Xerxis gives about half the amount Antwon did and steps back with a bored expression.

It's my turn and I stumble slightly as control of my body is given back to me. I remember what I did the first time, I gave barely anything. I was planning on having extras for Adrian, he never got enough food. This time was different, I walked gracefully and carefully picked out the best of my plate. We were having thick brisket and strawberries as the main dish. I gave most of the brisket, as the largest slab also looked the best. I also gave the best strawberries and carefully placed every offering reverentially in the fire.

As all of the food crackles and smokes, I mouth a prayer, _May Adrian and Reyna have successful endeavors_. I stand up straight and walk carefully over to the line with everyone who went before me. Last time Adrian followed my example, he follows the good example I made this time and bows with respect to the swirling smoke. I can almost see three gray ladies in the fire bowing back, but as quick as the image appears it blows away into the wind.

Father then starts for the goat, taking out a dagger that looks remarkably like mine. The curved blade flashes as it sinks into the animal's neck. Blood gushes out of the wound as Father tugs the blade out. He holds up the body as it falls limp, he carries it over to the fire. He bows and places the goat in the flames. This time the smoke is thick, as I see images of humanoid creatures float in and out of view. They seem to be posing, as I can see a thickset man with a club raised in challenge. I see a woman crouching by the flames, she turns and looks at me directly, she inclines her head in my direction.

I can see expressions of shock and wonder as my own expression mirrors theirs. Control of my body is still mine, so my emotions show across my face. Disbelief followed by shock, followed by elation. I know that woman is Vesta, somehow. The goddess acknowledged me. My brothers faces are turned to mine, with expressions of anger, Antwon, jealousy, Lexivus, confusion, Saylor and Xerxis, awe, Adrian. With that I know who is in on the mythological reality. Antwon and Lexivus, with Adrian starting to believe. Saylor and Xerxis have no idea of the significance of what just happened.

Quickly I look at my father, he has an unreadable expression on his face, but he turns to the fire as the smoke is blown away. He then starts chanting in Latin. This seems easier than what I read, newer in my head.

He is chanting, "Come _Tyche_, with strong propitious mind and rich abundance, to my prayer inclined

Placid, and gentle Trivia, mighty named, imperial Artemis, born of Eubouleos famed;  
Mankind's unconquered, endless praise is thine, sepulchral, widely-wandering power divine!  
In thee, our various mortal life is found, and some from you copious wealth abounds,  
While others mourn thy hand averse to bless, in all the bitterness of deep distress.  
Be present, Goddess, to we who worship you, and give abundance with benignant mind."

The pulse of power following the end of the chant soaks throughout all of us. It seems to reflect off of Saylor and Xerxis, but I can see golden light glowing in the rest of our chests. It is the exact place of my tattoo. We all go to the table and eat in silence.

When everyone is still, Father stands again and says, "I have a pronouncement. Xander is leaving the home." Everyone goes even more still than before. Adrian looks at me fearfully, he almost opens his mouth to speak but I elbow him in the ribs before he can.

I stand and reply in as steady of a tone I can muster, "Yes Father. When?"

Father nods approvingly and states clearly, "Now. Every month you shall send no less than twenty dollars. To aid you in your endeavors you shall take the sacrificial dagger. May Vesta bless you." I nod carefully, taking the dagger and leaving the table. I stop by Adrian's chair and put a hand on his shoulder.

I say, "May you have fortune on this feast for Fortuna." Adrian looks up at me with with watery eyes and nods back, unable to speak. I leave the house quickly. When I reach two blocks away I stop and examine my new dagger. There is another inscription, this one is just as difficult to read as the first. I persevere, and am able to read it in five minutes. This time I am aware of something broken, like a barrier in my mind. I disregard this in favor of the text. It says, "Iudicium" this means judgment of justice, or justified judgment.

I feel everything going white as I wake back up in my body. The only difference is the dagger in my hand. I compare the two and the only difference is the inscription.

Well, this changes things.

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**A/N: **Pov will be back to normal as the ehhh flashback is over. Please tell me if you liked it or not. Hope you like this chapter so soon after the other. Please review, feedback would be great. If you have any suggestions for another weapon he could have I will take them into account. Right now he only has two sacrificial daggers, not enough for fighting monsters. Ciao!


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